JP2014511658A - Ear puff - Google Patents

Abstract

Ear puffs are provided. The ear puff has a unitary structure having a first end, a second end, and an internal passage therebetween. The internal passage has a first segment and a second segment. The first segment has a plurality of inner contour portions. The inner contour is configured to align with the outer contour of the speaker component. The second segment of the internal passage has a bell pipe portion and a bell portion.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

RELATED APPLICATION This application claims the benefit of a US provisional application filed on March 11, 2011, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

  Wireless and portable electronic devices are becoming increasingly popular. Non-limiting examples of wireless and portable electronic devices include MP3 players, mobile phones, laptop and tablet computers, game controls, personal information terminals, embedded devices in automobiles, embedded connections in homes and offices Devices, embedded devices in commercial buildings such as hotels or factories, embedded devices in transportation facilities such as airports or railway stations, digital cameras, DVD players, and Internet protocol television protocol television: IPTV).

  These wireless and portable electronic devices often have interactive display screens, control and sound functions. In one example, sound generated by wireless and portable electronic devices is transmitted over a wire to one or more speakers located adjacent to or in the user's ear. In another example, the generated sound is transmitted to a speaker via a wireless transmission device. A non-limiting example of a speaker device disposed adjacent to the user's ear is a headphone. Non-limiting examples of speaker devices placed inside the ear are earbuds and earphones.

  The ear buds and earphones are very small headphones facing the outer ear in direct contact with the outer ear without being inserted into the ear canal. In some instances, earbuds and earphones may be uncomfortable and tend to fall off the ear. It would be advantageous if the earbuds and earphones were improved.

  The above objectives as well as other objectives not specifically raised are achieved by an ear puff having a unitary structure having a first end, a second end and an internal passage therebetween. The internal passage has a first segment and a second segment. The first segment has a plurality of inner contour portions. The inner contour is formed to align with the outer contour of the speaker component. The second segment of the internal passage includes a bell pipe portion and a bell portion.

  According to the present invention, a method of using a speaker of an electronic device is also provided. The method includes inserting a first portion of a speaker into a first segment of an ear puff, the first portion of the speaker having a plurality of outer contours, and the first segment of the ear puffs having a plurality of inner contours. The ear puff assembly so that the combination of the speaker and the ear puff forms an ear puff assembly, and a portion of the ear puff extends into a portion of the ear canal and a portion of the ear puff is in intimate contact with a portion of the outer ear Inserting the ear puff into the ear of the user and inflating the ear puff against a portion of the ear canal and a portion of the outer ear, thereby creating a personal fit.

  Various objects and advantages of this ear puff will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, when read with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a schematic view of a first embodiment of an ear puff used with a morphology electronic device. FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded side view of the ear puff and ear bud of FIG. It is a perspective view of the ear puff of FIG. It is a side view in the elevation of the ear puff of FIG. FIG. 3 is a view of the ear puff of FIG. 1 shown with a second embodiment of the morphology electronic device. It is a figure explaining the hysteresis of the foam material of the ear puff of FIG.

  The invention will now be described with occasional reference to specific embodiments of the invention. However, the present invention may be implemented in different shapes or may not be configured as described individually and limited to the embodiments. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

  Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used individually have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The terminology used in the description of the invention herein is for describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used in the description of the present invention, the singular is intended to include the plural unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

  Unless otherwise indicated, all numerical values representing dimensions in length, width, height, etc., as used in the specification and claims, are used in all cases by the term “about”. Should be understood to be changed in Accordingly, unless indicated otherwise, the numerical characteristics set forth in the specification and claims are approximate numbers that are highly dependent on the desired characteristics sought to be obtained in the embodiments of the present invention. In spite of the approximate numerical ranges and parameters that describe the broad scope of the present invention, the numerical values set forth in a particular embodiment are reported as accurately as possible. Any numerical value, however, inherently contains certain errors necessarily resulting from the errors found in their respective measurements.

  The detailed description and drawings disclose an ear puff for use with earbuds or earphones. Generally, the ear puff is configured to wrap a portion of the ear bud and temporarily form an ear mold so that the user can comfortably attach the ear bud for an extended period of time. As used herein, the term “earbud” is defined to mean any very small headphone that fits directly into a portion of the outer ear or a portion of the ear canal. Non-limiting examples of earbuds are “Jbuds” marketed by JLab Audio, “Xtreme Slipsives in Ear” marketed by JVC, “Skullcandy INK'd Earbuds” marketed by Skullcandy, marketed by Klipsch "Image S4", "MDR-EX57LP" marketed by Sony, "AH-360" marketed by Denon, and "CX33II" marketed by Sennheiser.

  Referring now to FIG. 1, an example of an ear puff is indicated generally at 10. The ear puff 10 is configured to wrap a part of the ear pad 12 and temporarily form an ear mold so that the user can comfortably attach the ear pad 12 for a long time. The ear puff 10 and the wrapped ear bud are inserted into a portion of the user's ear (not shown) in the direction D1.

  The ear bud 12 has a speaker (not shown). The speaker has an electroacoustic transducer (not shown) that generates sound in response to an electroacoustic signal input. The sound then goes into the user's ear canal (not shown). The ear bud 12 is connected to the morphological electronic device 14 via the wiring 16. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the morphological electronic device is an “iphone” marketed by Apple, Inc., “Android” marketed by AT & T, or “Blackberry” marketed by Research In Motion. Such as a mobile phone or a smartphone. However, in other embodiments, the portable electronic device 14 is an MP3 player, mobile phone, laptop and tablet computer, game control, personal information terminal, built-in connected device in a car, built-in in the home and office. Connected devices, embedded devices in commercial buildings such as hotels or factories, embedded devices in transportation facilities such as airports or railway stations, digital cameras, DVD players, and Internet protocol television Other devices, such as a non-limiting example of (Internet protocol television: IPTV) may be used.

  Referring back to FIG. 1, the wiring 16 is formed as a conduit for applying an electroacoustic signal generated by the portable electronic device 14 to the ear bud 12. Although the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 shows the wiring 16 connecting the portable electronic device 14 and the ear bud 12, it is contemplated that the electronic acoustic signal can be transmitted to the ear bud 12 by a wireless method. Is within the range.

  The ear bud 12 shown in FIG. 1 is a passive element. As used herein, the term “passive element” is defined to mean a device that relies on other electronic devices to provide electroacoustic signals. While the ear bud 12 shown in FIG. 1 is a passive device, it should be appreciated that in other embodiments, the ear bud 12 may be part of an active electronic device. As used herein, the term “active electronic device” is defined to mean including sufficient electronic components and circuit elements to essentially generate an electroacoustic signal. Active electronic devices are discussed in more detail below.

  Referring now to FIG. 2, the ear puff 10 removed from the ear 20 is shown separated from the ear bud 12. The ear 20 has an ear canal 22 that extends inwardly from the outer ear 24 to the inner ear (not shown). As will be described in more detail below, in the illustrated position, a portion of the ear puff 10 extends into a portion of the ear canal 22 so that a portion of the ear puff 10 is in close contact with a portion of the outer ear 24.

  Referring back to FIG. 2, the ear puff 10 has an internal passage 30. The internal passage 30 has a first segment 32 and a second segment 34. The first segment 32 of the internal passage 30 is formed to receive the first portion of the ear bud 12. When the ear bud 12 is used without the ear puff 10, the first portion of the ear bud 12 is typically inserted into the user's ear canal 22. As will be described in more detail below, when the first portion 36 of the ear bud 12 is inserted into the first segment 32 of the ear puff 10, the inner contour of the first segment 32 and the outer side of the first portion 36. The first segment 32 of the ear puff 10 has an inner contour that is substantially close to the outer contour of the first portion 36 of the ear bud 12 so that it is aligned with the contour.

  Referring to FIG. 2 again, the ear puff 10 is formed as an integrated unitary structure. The term “integrated” as used herein is defined to mean that the ear puff is formed as a single homogeneous body. Although the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 shows the ear puff 10 as being formed as an integral unitary structure, it is contemplated that the ear puff 10 can be formed from separate and distinct segments that are connected to each other. It is out of.

  In the illustrated embodiment, the ear puff 10 is formed from a biodegradable viscoelastic low resilience polymer-based open cell foam material (hereinafter “foam material”). The term “biodegradable” as used herein is defined to mean that the earpuff 10 can be broken down into harmless products by an organism such as a microorganism. The biodegradable aspect of the ear puff 10 stems from the replacement of petroleum-based materials forming the foam material with the use of reactive materials made from sustainable and renewable resources such as, but not limited to, soybeans. To do. Sustainable and reusable use of resources is comparable, if not better, to conventional petroleum foam processes in terms of quality and performance.

  As described above, the open cell foam material forming the ear puff is a low resilience foam. The term “repulsion” as used herein is defined to mean surface elasticity or elasticity of the foam material. The use of a unique low-resilience open-cell foam material allows the ear puff to shrink when placed inside or adjacent to the ear part, and subsequently allows expansion to the ear part, allowing each person to Only produce a fit. The use of low resilience open cell foam materials provides superior compression and expansion compared to conventional high resilience foams. Referring now to FIG. 6, a graph depicting a statistical sampling of the hysteresis loss of the low resilience foam is shown. As used herein, the term “hysteresis” is defined to mean the energy lost during compression (energy load) and recovery (energy unload) of the foam. Hysteresis can be measured by a test standard such as ASTM D3574 which shows the relationship between foam durability and foam comfort. In a typical test performed under the ASTM D3574 standard, the foam material sample is 75% ± 5.0% of the original thickness of the foam material sample after one or more pre-compressions. Is pushed in. A graph of force and the resulting strain was revealed. Energy is defined as the area under the curve. In particular, referring to FIG. 6, the graph shows an upper curve (shown as “70”) and a lower curve (shown as “72”). The graph of FIG. 6 has a vertical axis of force measured in Newton and a horizontal axis of strain measured in%. As shown in FIG. 6, the preferred hysteresis loss of the foam material is defined by the parallelogram 74. Parallelogram 74 has an upper limit of approximately 50% strain at 500N and a lower limit of approximately 37% strain at 200N. Foam materials within this range provide excellent harmony of elasticity, comfort and durability.

  The term “viscoelastic” as used herein is defined to mean a material that returns to its original shape upon removal of the deforming force. While the ear puff 10 has been described as a biodegradable viscoelastic low resilience polymer-based open cell foam material, in other embodiments, the ear puff 10 is an oil-based, for example, having a petroleum-based content of less than 50%. It may be formed from other materials such as polymer foams. As described in more detail below, the foam material is formed for several functions.

  Referring back to FIG. 2, in practice, the ear puff 10 and the ear bud 12 are used as follows. First, any existing foam material or other soft material (not shown) covering the earbud first portion 36 is removed. Then, as shown in FIG. 1, the first portion 36 of the ear field 36 is aligned so that the outer contour of the first portion 36 of the ear bud 12 is aligned with the inner contour of the first segment 32 of the ear puff 10. , Inserted into the first segment 32 of the ear puff 10. In this position, the first portion 36 of the ear bud 12 is securely held inside the first segment 32 of the ear puff 10. The assembly of the ear bud 12 into the ear puff 10 forms an ear puff assembly 40. The ear puff assembly 40 is inserted into a portion of the user's ear canal 22 such that the foam material of the ear puff 10 is contracted and subsequently close to a portion of the user's ear canal 22 and the ear 24 in contact with the ear puff 10. Inflate to shape and size. In this way, the foam material of the ear puff 10 automatically adjusts to form a fit, thereby creating a unique person-only fit for the exact shape of the user's ear.

  Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the ear puff 10 includes a first region 42, a second region 44, a third region 46, a fourth region 48, and an internal passage 30. The first region 42 has a first end 50 and an opposing shoulder 52. The first end 50 and the opposing shoulder 52 cooperate to form the outer peripheral tab 51. As shown in FIG. 2, the shoulder 52 is formed so as to be in close contact with a part of the outer ear 24. Tab 51 has a thickness T. The thickness T of the tab 51 is formed to provide structural instructions to the ear puff 10 in the mounted position. In the illustrated embodiment, the thickness T of the tab 51 is in the range of about 1.5 mm to about 3.0 mm. In other embodiments, the thickness T of the tab 51 may be less than about 1.5 mm, sufficient to be in close contact with the user's outer ear 24 and provide structural instructions to the ear puff 10, or about 3 It may exceed 0.0 mm.

  Referring again to FIGS. 3 and 4, the second region 44 extends from the first region 42 to the third region 46. The second region 44 has an outer peripheral surface 54. The outer peripheral surface 54 makes an angle α with respect to a substantially vertical line. As shown in FIG. 2, the angle α of the outer peripheral surface 54 is formed so that the ear puff 10 is comfortably adhered to a part of the transition portion of the outer ear 24 together with the inner ear 22 of the user. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the angle α is in the range of about 10.0 ° to about 30.0 °. However, it should be appreciated that in other embodiments, the angle α may be less than about 10.0 ° or greater than about 30.0 °.

  Referring back to FIGS. 3 and 4, the third region 46 extends from the second region 44 to the fourth region 48. The third region 46 has an outer peripheral surface 56. As shown in FIG. 2, the outer peripheral surface 56 is formed inside the part of the user's external auditory canal 22 for the close contact of the ear puff 10. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the outer peripheral surface 56 is substantially vertical. The term “substantially vertical” as used herein is defined to mean vertical within an acceptable range of about ± 5 °. However, it should be appreciated that in other embodiments, the outer peripheral surface 56 can have any orientation that facilitates close contact of the ear puff 10 within a portion of the user's ear canal 22.

  The third region 46 has a width W and a length L. The width W closely matches the width of a portion of a typical ear canal 22 and the length L is formed to enhance the acoustic quality of the sound produced by the ear bud 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the width W is in the range of about 14.0 mm to about 20.0 mm. As a variation, the width W may be less than about 14.0 mm or greater than about 20 mm. In the illustrated embodiment, the length L of the third region is in the range of about 3.0 mm to about 8.0 mm. However, in other embodiments, the length L may be less than about 3.0 mm or may be greater than about 8.0 mm.

  The fourth region 48 extends from the third region 46 to the second end 48. The fourth region 48 has an outer peripheral surface 60. The outer peripheral surface 60 makes an angle β with respect to a substantially vertical line. The angle β of the outer peripheral surface 50 facilitates easy entry of the ear puff assembly 40 into a portion of the user's ear. In the illustrated embodiment, the angle β is in the range of about 30.0 ° to 60.0 °. However, it should be appreciated that in other embodiments, the angle β may be less than about 30.0 ° or greater than about 60.0 °.

  Referring back to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the shoulders 52 and outer peripheral surfaces 54, 56 and 60 of the regions 42, 44, 46 and 48 have smooth surfaces. As used herein, the term “smooth surface” is defined to mean a continuous smooth surface. The smooth and outer peripheral surfaces 54, 56 and 60 of the shoulder 52 facilitate the ease of insertion of the ear puff assembly into the user's ear 20 and removal from the user's ear 20 of the ear puff assembly. To be formed. Optionally, the shoulder 52 and the outer peripheral surfaces 54, 56 and 60 may have roughness. As used herein, the term “having roughness” is defined to mean having a non-smooth surface feature. As will be discussed in more detail below, a rough surface can improve adhesion to a portion of a user's ear. The surface having roughness can be formed by any desired structure or combination of structures, including non-limiting examples of grooves, cross-hatching or grain of rough surfaces. In yet another embodiment, the shoulder 52 and outer peripheral surfaces 54, 56, and 60 are formed to improve adhesion to a portion of the user's ear, or other desired, such as an antimicrobial substance. There may be additional layers or coatings formed to improve the properties of the.

  Referring back to FIGS. 3 and 4 and the above discussion, the ear puff 10 has an internal passage 30. The internal passage 30 has a first segment 32 and a second segment 34. The first segment 32 of the internal passage 30 is formed to receive the first portion 36 of the ear bud 12. As discussed above, the first segment 32 of the ear puff 10 has a plurality of inner contours 61 a-61 c that are substantially equal to the outer contour of the first portion 36 of the ear bud 12, and in the inserted position, the first segment 32. The inner contours 61 a-61 c of the segment 32 and the outer contour of the first portion 36 are aligned, thereby securely holding the ear bud 12 in the ear puff 10. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, three inner contours 61 a-61 c are shown, but more or less than three inner contours may be used as outer contours of the first portion 36 of the ear bud 12. It should be appreciated that sufficient use can be made to approximately equal. Furthermore, the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 shows the inner contours 61a and 61c as having an inclined outer peripheral surface, and the inner contour 61b as having a substantially vertical outer peripheral surface. Although shown, the inner contour of the first segment 32 of the ear puff 10 may have an outer peripheral surface having any desired orientation sufficient to be approximately equal to the outer contour of the first portion 36 of the ear bud 12. It is within the contemplation of the present invention what can be done.

  Referring back to FIG. 4, the second segment 34 of the internal passage 30 is formed to improve the acoustic quality of the sound generated by the ear bud 12. The second segment 34 has a bell pipe portion 62 and a bell portion 64. The bell pipe portion 62 is formed to direct, converge and increase the sound emanating from the ear bud 12. As shown in FIG. 4, the bell pipe portion 62 has a width WBPP that widens in the direction from the first segment 32 toward the bell portion 62. The expansion of the width WBPP of the bell pipe portion 62 contributes to the exceptional acoustic quality of the ear puff 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the width WBPP of the bell pipe portion at the intersection of the first segment 32 and the second segment 34 is in the range of about 4.0 mm to about 8.0 mm, and the bell pipe portion 62 at the bell portion 64. The spread of the width WBPP is in the range of about 6.0 mm to about 10.0 mm. However, the various widths WBPP of the bell pipe portion 62 may be different.

  Referring again to FIG. 4, the bell portion 64 is formed to increase the sound emanating from the ear bud 12. As shown in FIG. 4, the bell portion 64 has a width WBP that widens in the direction from the first segment 32 toward the second end 58. The expansion of the width WBP of the bell portion 64 contributes to the exceptional acoustic quality of the ear puff 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the width WBP of the bell portion 64 across the bell pipe portion 62 is in the range of about 6.0 mm to about 10.0 mm, and the width WBP of the bell portion 64 at the second end 58 is Within the range of about 8.0 mm to about 14.0 mm. However, the various widths WBP of the bell portion 64 may be different.

  The second segment 34 of the internal passage 30 has a length LSS. In the illustrated embodiment, it is in the range of about 4.0 mm to about 8.0 mm. In other embodiments, the length LSS may be less than about 4.0 mm and may be greater than about 8.0 mm.

  Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, in all embodiments and environments, the ear puff 10 provides significant benefits compared to the conventional ear buds 12, although not all benefits are provided. First, the foam material forming the ear puff 10 forms a temporary shape that conforms to the shape of a portion of the user's outer ear canal 22 and a portion of the outer ear 24 so that the ear puff 10 is removed by the user. Hold earbud 10 comfortably. Without being bound by theory, the comfort provided by the ear puff 10 is less in a portion of the ear canal 22 and a portion of the outer ear 24 by exerting air pressure within the foam material bubbles on the adjacent bubbles. It is believed to arise from the ability of the compressed foam material to create a cushion that only applies pressure. The spread of air pressure within the foam material bubbles advantageously increases the ability of the foam material to conform to the shape of the pressure points within the ear 20.

  Second, by forming a close fit with a portion of the ear canal 22 and a portion of the outer ear 24, the foam material substantially blocks the flow of environmental noise into the portion of the ear canal 22. It is further formed as follows. This allows the user to more thoroughly control the volume of sound emanating from the portable electronic device 24, and the user has more accurate quality and less distortion from the earbud 12. Can receive sound.

  Third, as discussed above, the foam material forming the ear puff 10 is a viscoelastic polymer-based foam material that shrinks when inserted into a portion of the user's ear 20. Subsequently, the contours and shapes of the second region 44, the third region 46, and the fourth region 48 of the ear puff 10 are inflated to automatically adapt to the shape of each one of the user's ear portions.

  While the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4 has shown an ear puff 10 in conjunction with a conventional ear pad 12, the ear puff may be used with other electronic devices, whether portable or not. It is within the contemplation of the present invention. Referring now to FIG. 5, an ear puff 110 is shown with another embodiment of an electronic device. In this embodiment, an ear puff 110 used with a portable earphone 170 is shown. Non-limiting examples of portable earphones include Bluetooth (R) Monoural marketed by Planttronics, Q2 marketed by BlueAnt, and ECXTREME2 marketed by Java. The portable earphone 170 has a speaker portion 172. The speaker portion 172 has a contour segment 174.

  During implementation, the ear puff 10 and the speaker portion 172 of the portable earphone 170 are used as follows. First, any existing foam or other soft material (not shown) covering the contour segment 174 of the speaker portion 172 is removed. Then, as shown in FIG. 1 and described above, the contour segment 174 is positioned in the first segment 132 of the ear puff 110 so that the outer contour of the contour segment is aligned with the inner contour of the first segment 132 of the ear puff 110. Insert into. In this position, the contour segment 174 of the speaker portion 172 is securely held within the first segment 132 of the ear puff 110. Assembly of the contour segment 174 into the ear puff 110 forms an ear puff assembly 140. The ear puff assembly 140 is inserted into the user's ear, as described above, and the foam material of the ear puff 110 contracts and subsequently expands to a shape and size that is close to the user's ear canal 22 and the ear 24.

  According to the provisions of the patent law, the principle and mode of operation of the ear puff are described and illustrated in its preferred embodiment. However, it should be understood that ear puffs can be practiced other than those specifically described and illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims (20)

An ear puff having a unitary structure having a first end, a second end, and an internal passage therebetween;
The internal passage has a first segment and a second segment;
The first segment has a plurality of inner contours, and the inner contours are formed to align with outer contours of speaker components;
The ear puff characterized in that the second segment of the internal passage includes a bell pipe portion and a bell portion. The ear puff according to claim 1, wherein the speaker component is a portable electronic device. 2. A part of the ear puff is formed so as to extend into a user's external auditory canal, and the part of the ear puff is formed so as to be in close contact with a part of the user's outer ear. The listed ear puff. The ear puff of claim 1, wherein the ear puff is formed from a biodegradable viscoelastic polymer-based open cell foam material. The ear puff has a plurality of regions extending from the first end to the second end,
The ear puff according to claim 1, wherein each of the regions has an outer peripheral surface. The ear puff according to claim 5, wherein each of the outer peripheral surfaces has a smooth surface. The first end has opposing shoulders;
The opposing shoulders cooperate to form an outer peripheral tab,
The ear puff of claim 1, wherein the outer circumferential tab has a thickness in a range of about 1.5 mm to about 3.0 mm. The second region has an outer peripheral surface that is angled with respect to a substantially vertical line;
The ear puff of claim 5, wherein the angle is in the range of about 10 ° to about 30 °. The ear puff according to claim 5, wherein the third region has an outer peripheral surface oriented so as to be substantially perpendicular to the first end. The fourth region has an outer peripheral surface that is angled with respect to a substantially vertical line;
The ear puff of claim 5, wherein the angle is in the range of about 30 ° to about 60 °. The second region has an outer peripheral surface that is angled with respect to a substantially vertical line;
The ear puff of claim 5, wherein the angle is in the range of about 10 ° to about 30 °. The ear puff according to claim 5, wherein each of the outer peripheral surfaces has an antibacterial coat. The ear puff of claim 1, wherein the first segment of the internal passage has three inner contours. The ear puff according to claim 1, wherein the bell pipe portion of the second segment of the internal passage has a width that widens toward the second end. The ear puff according to claim 1, wherein the bell portion of the second segment of the internal passage has a width that widens toward the second end. The ear puff of claim 1, wherein the second segment of the internal passage has a length in the range of about 4.0 mm to about 8.0 mm. The ear puff of claim 5, wherein the second region has a width in the range of about 14.0 mm to about 20.0 mm. The ear puff is formed from a foam material,
The ear puff of claim 1, wherein the foam material has a hysteresis loss ranging from about 50% at 500 Newtons to about 37% at 200 Newtons. A method of using a speaker of an electronic device,
Inserting a first portion of the speaker into a first segment of an ear puff, wherein the first portion of the speaker has a plurality of outer contours, and the first segment of the ear puff includes a plurality of And the combination of the speaker and the ear puff forms an ear puff assembly,
Inserting the ear puff assembly into a user's ear such that a portion of the ear puff extends into a portion of the ear canal and the portion of the ear puff is in intimate contact with a portion of the outer ear;
Inflating an ear puff against a portion of the ear canal and a portion of the outer ear, thereby creating a personal fit. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the ear puff is formed from a biodegradable viscoelastic polymer based open cell foam material.